Many boat hulls are constructed with double bottoms between which ample flotation is disposed whereby the drain opening in the transom of the boat may be left open and any rain or spray water entering the boat will automatically be drained therefrom to prevent the boat from being swamped. However, other boats provided with transom drain openings and interior flotation are designed in a manner whereby the flotation is sufficiently buoyant only to keep the boat from sinking, but is not sufficiently buoyant to prevent the interior deck surfaces of the boat from becoming awash if the transom drain opening is left open. Still further, if the first mentioned type of self-bailing boat is equipped with a heavy stern mounted outboard motor, although the interior flotation may be sufficient to maintain the interior of the boat substantially free of the accumulation of water when the transom drain opening is left open, the added weight of the out-board motor on the transom is sufficient to cause at least the aft interior deck portions of the boat to become awash.
Accordingly, a need exists for structure whereby self-bailing boats and boats provided with sufficient interior flotation to prevent sinking may be transformed into substantially fully self-bailing boats, even when a heavy outboard motor is supported from the transom thereof.
Various forms of flotation devices have been heretofore designed for different purposes, but none have been constructed in a manner whereby they may be readily used in conjunction with smaller boat hulls in order to transform such hulls into full self-bailing hulls.
Examples of previously known flotation devices including some of the general structural features of the instant invention are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 26,856, 1,796,595, 2,892,434, 3,198,157, 3,797,435 and 3,844,241.